Monday, November 9, 2009

Thankful No Matter Your Mood

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30: 4-5 NRSV

How can we be thankful when we feel like we are being punished? How can we give God glory and praise when we feel like God is angry? How is being thankful when we are sad at all helpful in our relationship to God?

The psalmist intends to give us, God's faithful ones, some instruction. Or maybe good advice. Either way, we need to listen closely.

You see, being thankful is a way of life. It should occur whether you are laughing or crying. Thankfulness is a state of your heart. This is because within a day's time our lives can change and our emotions will change with them. But giving God thanks is not or should not be dependent on our moods. If we wait until we are in a good mood, we may either forget what we are thankful for or we will be sloppy in our thanksgiving.

So, whatever state your mood is in today, don't let it prevent you from giving sincere thanks.

God, may we not depend on our good moods to give you thanks and praise. In Jesus' name. Amen.